Published - April 16th, 2005 - The Vincent Voice

Context : Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan proposes a traffic ban on the streets of Northbridge
of a Friday and Saturday night to curb the hoon-like behaviour that plagues the streets.

Article below:

WA police commissioner Karl O'Callaghan set tongues wagging this week after calling for Northbridge streets to be turned into pedestrian malls on Friday and Saturday nights.
He told 6PR he'd like to see James Street closed between William and Parker Streets, and Lake Street closed between James and Francis Streets from 6pm each Friday and Saturday night until 6am the following morning. The commissioner said he believed the move would alleviate trouble between pedestrians and al fresco diners. When groups of people passed by, tables often got bumped and fights started, he said. It'll make a lot of conflict go away, and make it easier for us to police.Ó But any decision on the mall idea is not up to the commissioner Ð it's for Perth city council. He put the idea to council recently and is still waiting on a response. Cr Judy McEvoy got on the blower straight away. We tried to bring this up in July 2000,"she said. "The building owners really didn't want it."
" I think a road closure is a bit radical. I'd like to see one-way traffic down James Street."
PCC candidate and DV8 nightclub owner Neil Scott told the Voice closing James Street would make a bad problem worse. He reckons James Street needs more traffic to solve its social issues. "James Street is already too open," he said. "There's not enough things to stop cars from going fast, and not enough cars with people looking out the windows." In 1994, council closed James Street to traffic for a trial period of six months. Mr. Scott said the results were disastrous. "That's when all the scumbags came in," he said. Mr. Scott said restaurant owners should provide fewer al fresco tables to prevent problems between diners and pedestrians.
"I think al fresco dining is fantastic, but when you start taking up all the footpath - that's just greedy," he said.

 

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